Senior Director, Ethics and Compliance in Research and Development

Shape the ethical foundation of life-changing research. Lead the strategy that ensures responsible innovation reaches patients.

Your new role

As Senior Director of Ethics & Compliance in R&D, you will establish and drive the strategic direction for ethics and compliance across our global Research & Development organisation. You will be ensuring that groundbreaking science advances in an ethically responsibly way while navigating the complex intersection of data privacy, AI regulation, and research ethics in a rapidly evolving landscape.  The position reports to the Vice President of R&D Quality within the Regulatory, Quality & Clinical Reporting area of R&D.

Your key responsibilities will include:

• Lead implementation of The Ethics Navigator (TEN) across R&D and develop a comprehensive compliance program that sets the standard for Research & Development
• Accountable for executing global internal and external personal data protection mandates, as well as crafting and maintaining the strategy across R&D to guarantee adherence to personal data protection regulations (e.g. GDPR) including research ethics legal framework and AI
• Implement risk reporting governance across R&D to ensure comprehensive oversight and proactive management of potential risks throughout the organisation, including the development of a robust risk reporting framework to the Business Ethics & Compliance Organisation (BECO)
• Build and lead a high-performing team that cultivates a robust business ethics culture encompassing human rights, data privacy, and responsible AI use
• Provide strategic guidance and direction to senior leadership (SVP, VP levels) on complex compliance matters

• Support the R&D organisation during audits and inspections conducted by Health Authorities and Data Protection Agencies

• Represent Novo Nordisk in global compliance forums and industry networks including LiF, IMI, EFPIA, and TransCelerate
• Driving transformative compliance initiatives across R&D

Your new department

In Research & Development, we explore bold scientific ideas and advance them into clinical testing. We combine curiosity, AI tools, and human data to develop transformative therapies. Through collaboration and operational excellence, we shape and deliver an innovative pipeline to meet patients’ needs.  You will be part of the R&D Quality Leadership team, responsible for setting the direction for quality and compliance standards with a proportionate and risk-based approach across R&D, thereby enabling accelerated and competitive timelines for our research and development activities.

The Ethics & Compliance function in R&D serves as the ethical compass for our scientific activities. Your team will work at the intersection of cutting-edge research and regulatory frameworks, ensuring that our pursuit of breakthrough therapies is grounded in our standards for business ethics, data protection, and patient rights. You will collaborate across the entire R&D value chain and also with key stakeholders in US Operations (USO), International Operations (IO), UK and across global partnerships, enabling responsible innovation at scale.  The position is based in Soborg, Denmark; there will be limited travel activities.

Your skills & qualifications

We are seeking an exceptional leader who combines deep ethics and compliance expertise with the strategic vision to shape ethical standards for the future of pharmaceutical research.

You will bring with you:

• Relevant Master’s degree qualification, a Legal degree being an advantage
• 15 years of expert-level experience in compliance within the pharmaceutical industry
• 10+ years of leadership experience with a proven track record leading without authority in complex matrix organizations, demonstrating exceptional ability to influence and impact across functions
• Comprehensive knowledge of the pharmaceutical value chain with strategic and practical knowledge of compliance frameworks, data privacy regulations (GDPR), research ethics, and emerging AI compliance requirements
• Extensive experience delivering impactful compliance results across a global organisation, with demonstrated excellence in stakeholder management both upward and across organisational boundaries, e.g. with USO and IO
• Exceptional change management skills combined with a proactive, innovative, and solution-oriented approach, you lead by example as a Novo Nordisk Way role model who promotes cross-organisational collaboration
• Outstanding communication and interpersonal skills with the ability to make decisions, set strategic direction, and navigate novel approaches to complex ethical challenges in emerging regulatory landscapes

Working at Novo Nordisk

For over 100 years, we have been committed to driving lasting change for long-term health. In R&D, this dedication takes on special meaning, as every ethical decision you make, every compliance framework you build ensures that our scientific curiosity serves patients responsibly. Here, you will find a culture that values diverse perspectives and encourages bold thinking, because we know that responsible innovation requires both courage and integrity. We have built an environment where your expertise shapes not just policies, but the ethical foundation that enables breakthrough therapies to reach millions of patients. When you join us, you are not just managing compliance, you are safeguarding the trust that makes transformational change possible.

What we offer

There is more on offer here than the uniqueness of our culture and the extraordinary results we deliver. Being part of a global healthcare company means opportunities to learn and develop continuously, while our benefits are designed with your career and life stage in mind. As a senior leader, you will lead meaningful change and shape our future direction.

Deadline

Friday, 29 May 2026.

You do not need to attach a cover letter to your application, but please include a few sentences about why you are applying in your CV. To ensure an efficient and fair recruitment process, please refrain from adding a photo in your CV. Applications are continuously assessed throughout the recruitment process.

For More Information

For further information, please contact Rikke Bischoff at RINS@novonordisk.com or visit www.novonordisk.com/careers.

We commit to an inclusive recruitment process and equality of opportunity for all our job applicants.

At Novo Nordisk, we're not chasing quick fixes – we're creating lasting change for long-term health. For over 100 years, we've been driven by a single purpose: to defeat serious chronic diseases and help millions of people live healthier lives. This dedication fuels our constant curiosity and inspires us to push the boundaries of what's possible in healthcare. We embrace diverse perspectives, seek out bold ideas, and build partnerships rooted in shared purpose. Together, we're making healthcare more accessible, treating and preventing diseases, and pioneering solutions that create change spanning generations. When you join us, you become part of something bigger – a legacy of impact that reaches far beyond today.